Selina made it back to her apartment before Ivy, but it was close. The sun was setting when Ivy rang the bell.
"I raided the liquor store," Ivy said, shaking a bottle when Selina opened the door. "Don't worry I paid cash."
"You're nineteen," Selina said, raising an eyebrow.
"I look twenty-three," Ivy replied. "And the cashier owes me a favor."
"Half the town owes you a favor." Selina said, shutting and locking the door behind her. "And that is a very big bottle." A very big bottle of what looked like whiskey.
"It's been a tough week for the criminal elite," Ivy said with a shrug, twisting off the cap and taking a swig. Selina winced; she never knew how Ivy could drink it straight like that. Selina was no stranger to alcohol, but Ivy's tolerance – and her liver – was legendary. "Have you taken your dose today?"
With everything that had happened with Wayne, Selina had forgotten. "Can I have both at the same time?"
"Please, you think I'd make you something you can't mix with booze?" Ivy said, scoffing. "Hurry up and take your meds because you are quickly falling behind and I am not waiting for you to catch up."
"Yeah right," Selina said, tying a makeshift tourniquet around her arm like she had every day since Ivy had mixed up the anti-venom. "You're a head-and-a-half taller than me. If I try to keep up with you, I'll die." Wincing like she always did, she found a vein and pumped her blood full of the clear liquid. "How long to I have to keep doing this?"
"Until I tell you to stop," Ivy said, drinking straight from the bottle again. "If it makes you feel any better, I'm taking it too." Ivy pulled up her sleeve, revealing punctures identical to the ones that covered the skin of Selina's inner arm. "Babe, drinking alone is crazy depressing, so you need to get started."
"Fine," Selina said, taking the bottle from her. "Na Zdorovie."
Selina was a lightweight. She always had been. It was probably due to the fact that she was just over five feet tall and barely weighed a hundred pounds soaking wet. That being said, it didn't take much for her to be dancing around her living room, bouncing on the couch, and singing to old pop songs at the top of her voice. Not exactly covert, but Selina was having a hard time caring about keeping a low profile when the room was spinning and the whole world seemed to be super-saturated with color. Ivy was in the same boat, though she'd almost drunk two-thirds of the bottle all on her own.
"Cause I'm Mr. Brightside!" Selina sang loudly before flopping onto the couch and watching the ceiling pinwheel above her. "I don't remember learning the lyrics to that song," she said after a moment.
"Me either," Ivy agreed, giggling and laying her head on Selina's stomach. "It's magic. Our whole generation knows that song and no one knows how they know it. It's like Twilight Zone." Ivy cackled. "Picture if you will."
"Our whole lives are in the fucking Twilight Zone," Selina said, stroking Ivy's red hair. "Do you ever think about how crazy our world is? Soooooo crazy. You make poisons and I steal things for the mob." Selina snorted. "And now they're trying to kill me. And Maroni is trying to kill me. Jesus."
"I forgot you were a weepy drunk," Ivy said, pouting. Selina flicked her. "Ow! I take it back. You're a mean drunk."
"I am not!" Ivy snickered and they both fell silent for a moment. "I am a fun drunk. And you're so lucky, you know that?"
"What, because I have less people trying to kill me?"
"Because you have Harley. She's normal. And she's smart. And really, really pretty."
"Are you jealous, pookie?" Ivy said, reaching up to pinch her cheek. "You know that you're my girl."
"I'm not jealous, I'm happy," Selina said softly, trying not to slur. "She's your way out, V. Do you love her?" Ivy was silent for a long time before answering. She took another swig of whiskey and picked at her nails, and Selina wasn't sure if she'd fallen asleep before she finally spoke again.
"I love her. Harley. I love Harley." Ivy smiled, looking up at Selina, a brilliant smile on her face. "I haven't said it out loud before. I'm in love, Selly. I'm in love with her."
"She's going to save you," Selina said, twirling Ivy's hair around her finger. "She's your out."
"Don't be stupid," Ivy said, closing her eyes and nuzzling her cheek against Selina's stomach. "We're in this together, like that singing high school movie thing. I'm not out unless you're out." She didn't say any more after that, quickly falling asleep. It didn't take long for Selina to follow suit, but not before thinking of Wayne. She was going to go back to the mansion, that much she knew for certain. Selina still didn't know what had changed, what had turned the distain and hatred for him into…whatever she was feeling. Maybe it was how dark and angry he became whenever she accidentally slipped and said something about her shit-show of a life. Maybe it was the fury in his eyes when he'd seen what Gerard had done to her face weeks ago. Maybe it was the fact that he always seemed ready to go to battle for her, even when she had done nothing but rob and threaten him. Even then, he'd still wanted to protect her. Besides Ivy, no one had ever cared what happened to her before. No one burned with righteous anger when she showed up bruised and battered. He had everything, he was the richest man in Gotham, and yet he was willing to risk his life for a girl who was worth nothing at all. Maybe that was it.
Maybe.
"Never again," Selina mumbled, shuffling into her kitchen in the morning. Ivy was perched on the counter, eating cereal out of a bowl Selina didn't know she had.
"Wow you look like shit," Ivy said, far too loudly for Selina's sensitive hearing.
"You're evil and I hate you," Selina grumbled.
"I made you coffee," Ivy said, holding out the mug like an olive branch. "It's a hangover remedy so if you complain about how it tastes I will kick you in the shins." Selina had to smile at that. Ivy had come a long way in hand fighting and she could do a hell of a lot worse than kick her in the shins at this point. "I know you don't eat breakfast and I'm shit at cooking anyway so." Selina took the mug and sipped it suspiciously, gagging on the taste before choking it down.
"It's awful, but you'll feel better in a half hour. Believe me, that bad boy has gotten me through some rough mornings."
"Next time you show up at my place with alcohol I'm slamming the door in your face."
"And then I'll drink it and throw up on your stoop."
"You're evil and I hate you," Selina said again, sticking her tongue out. Ivy laughed, eating her stolen cereal quietly for a few minutes.
"By the way, Harley and I are going out tonight to celebrate. She got into her PhD program."
"Tell her congratulations for me," Selina said, choking down another disgusting sip of coffee. Whatever Ivy had put into it was already working.
"Tell her yourself, you're coming with us." Selina raised an eyebrow. "We've been dating for almost six months, Sel, and you've never spent more than fifteen minutes together. I love her, and it's important to me that you love her too." Slowly, Selina put down the mug, touched.
"V, you haven't been this happy in years and it's because of her. I already love her for that."
"Jesus you're a sap," Ivy said after a moment.
"Get out," Selina said, grinning. "If you're going to be mean to me and get me drunk I want you out of my house." Ivy put her bowl and spoon into the dishwasher.
"I'll pick you up at eight," she said. "Look nice."
"Ew," Selina complained. "And you're the one on the date, not me. Text me an address and I'll meet you there."
"Whatever you say, boss lady," Ivy said, saluting her on the way out the door.
After finishing the rest of the disgusting coffee and a quick shower, Selina breezed out the door. If she was going out tonight, she needed a dress.
"Selina!" Oliver said, opening the door. "What a pleasant surprise. Come in, come in." Oliver and Manny's place was lovely. Small, but lovely. Manny wasn't much of a decorator, but Oliver had an eye for style and utilized every inch of the space available to them. "What can I do for you?" Selina stopped at the singular. He and Manny were attached at the hip and they had been for years. They were the couple that was so disgustingly in love that both of them referred to one another as "we," not "I." Never just "I."
"Ollie, what's wrong?" Selina said, searching his face for answers. "Oliver."
"It's Manuel," Oliver said softly. "He's sick."
"Sick like the flu?" Selina said, but the way Oliver's eyes dimmed told her that it was worse than that. "He's positive, isn't he." It wasn't a question and immediately Selina knew that she was right. She'd always been close to both of them, but never enough to pry into something as personal as their sex life. Certainly not to ask if they had HIV.
"We both are," Oliver said softly. "And we don't have insurance, so neither of us are taking anything for it. That's why I'm so compulsive about cleaning. But Manuel contracted something and…he's not doing well."
"Can I see him?" Selina asked softly.
"Of course," Oliver said, leading her into a bedroom in the back of the apartment. "Manny? There's someone here to see you. I'll give you two some privacy."
"Hola Manuel," Selina said, stepping inside. The whole room was had been painstakingly cleaned, and Manny was half-propped up on pillows in the bed. He looked awful; his skin was waxy and yellowish, and the veins in his neck and arms were so vivid it was like they were painted on his skin.
"Alleycat," Manny said, the corners of his lips turning up in the parody of a smile. "You look good. Wish I could say the same for me."
"Ah, come on, you're as handsome as ever." Selina said, sitting on the corner of the bed. "I'm sorry I haven't visited in a while. If I'd known…"
"Oye, esta bien," Manny said quietly. "Oliver and I decided not to tell anyone. You couldn't have known."
"What can I do?" Selina said, reaching for his hand. "There's got to be something. Money, medication, something."
"At this point, all we can do is wait it out," Manny said, giving a tiny shrug. "Chances are, I'm going to fine. Oliver's freaking out, but he's always been high strung. This'll pass." He was lying, Selina realized, her heart squeezing in her chest. He knew that he wasn't going to make it through this.
"Let me call Ivy. She can make something for you, you know she's good at this kind of thing and – "
"Alleycat," Manny said, cutting her off. Selina bit her lip, feeling tears starting to prick the corners of her eyes. "Stop. At this point, I either fight it off or I don't. Not even Ivy can cook up something that'll save me now if I can't save myself."
"Manny, I am so sorry."
"Hey, don't worry about me. Where I'm going, people like us don't have to watch over our shoulders, or worry about getting shot in the back. Just…" Manny faltered for a moment. "Take care of Ollie for me, will you? He's not good at being alone."
"You're going to take care of him," Selina said, squeezing his hand and biting her lip so hard that she could taste blood. "Because you're going to be fine, like you said."
"I'm going to be fine," Manny agreed halfheartedly. They sat in silence for a while, until Selina couldn't take it anymore. She just couldn't stand it, watching him lay here, making promises to live when they both knew he was lying.
"I'll come back tomorrow," Selina said. "And you call me if you need anything. Manuel, I'm not kidding. You've pulled my ass from the fire enough times."
"Let me do it one more time," Manny said, reaching into the desk drawer beside him. "Take this."
"What is it?" Selina asked, eying the flash drive in his hand.
"It's a virus, and it'll erase you off of video camera feeds. We can't have you on camera visiting your billionaire boyfriend, can we?" Selina's mouth dropped open and Manny smiled.
"Just take it, Sel." Selina closed her hand around the USB drive.
"Thank you."
"He's looking better," Oliver said when Selina left the room. "I know he's happy to see you, even if that grump didn't say it." He smiled but it was ringed with pain. "What can I do for you? Didn't you come for something?" Selina tried to just leave, but Oliver wouldn't have it, insisting on finding the perfect dress for her. It was gorgeous; green and sparkly, something Ollie insisted on. He offered to do her makeup, but Selina declined, old instincts insisting that she run away as fast as she could.
In the end, Selina didn't need to wear it.
Manuel Ramirez died at seven-sixteen that night, only six hours after Selina had visited him. He passed quietly, without any kind of a fuss, leaving behind no family except for his boyfriend Oliver Peters. There wasn't a funeral, but Selina and Ivy paid for Manny to be buried in a small cemetery just outside of the Narrows. He was close to home now, and Oliver could visit. Selina chose to think that that's what Manny would have wanted. And she did wear the dress eventually, at the small ceremony Oliver held after the burial. Ollie had demanded that no one wear black. It was a celebration of life, and besides, Oliver's pale skin and fair hair looked catastrophic when he wore black, he said. Selina tried to give the dress back to him, but Oliver wouldn't take it. Something about it suiting her better than it ever had suited him.
"You okay?" Ivy asked, finding Selina sitting outside Oliver's apartment.
"I'm fine."
"You're lying."
"V, I'm not the one who just lost the love of their life. Go support Ollie."
"He loved you too, you know," Ivy said softly, touching Selina's shoulder. "They both did. Ollie still does."
"I should've known he was sick," Selina said, mostly to herself. "I only ever called them when I needed something. A bug, a dress, something forged. They're my friends. Manny is – Manny was – he was important to me and the only time I ever called them was when I needed something." Selina buried her head in her hands, guilt and loathing roiling in her stomach, threatening to choke her.
"Selina, you know that's not true. This is how we have to live. It doesn't make you a bad person." Selina looked away from her, silently disagreeing. If she hadn't been so selfish, if she hadn't thought of only herself, if she'd gone to visit her goddamn friends once in a while…Maybe she'd have known that Manny was sick. Maybe she could have afforded medicine that could've saved him.
"I have to go," Selina said, unable to sit still any longer.
"Sel, you can't just leave."
"Tell Oliver I'm sorry. Tell him that I wish things could be different, but I have to go." Deaf to Ivy's protests, Selina stood and all but ran away from the apartment. She didn't know where she was going; she just knew that she had to get away from there.
She ended up on the Hill. And for once, she didn't break in.
"Miss Selina?" Alfred said, concern passing over his features as he opened the door to see her. She must've looked like a wreck, standing there on the front steps in a dress loaned to her by a man who's life had just ended with Manny's He ushered her inside and Selina followed him numbly to the office. Of course Wayne was in there.
"Selina?" Wayne said, standing up. "What's wrong?"
"I'm sorry," she said, looking everywhere but at him. She didn't know what she would see in his eyes and she couldn't deal with pity right now, not when she was already so close to tears. "I just didn't know where to go."
"What happened? What's wrong? Are you hurt?"
"Remember…" Selina tried, her voice faltering.
"Hey," Wayne said, catching her hand. "Talk to me, it's okay."
"Remember how I said…I said that real was going to get me killed? Real killed one of my friends."
"Oh shit, Selina. I'm so sorry. What can I do?" Selina didn't answer, and didn't protest when he pulled her into a hug, his arms tight around her. "What can I do?" he asked again, stroking her hair.
"Just don't be real," Selina whispered against his chest. "I can't take real right now."
"Not real," Wayne said. "I promise." Selina shuddered, biting her lip and trying to keep the tears from flowing. She was safe here, with him. This wasn't the Narrows, and he wasn't Manny. He wasn't real, he was safe.